Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance sub-recipient of $100,000 US EPA grant through City of Cincinnati to help non-profits lower their energy costs

Cincinnati – The Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA), a local non-profit providing energy efficiency services to residences and non-profits, was named a sub-recipient today of a $100,000 grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency through the city of Cincinnati. The grant, a part of the city’s $500,000 Climate Showcase Communities award, will allow GCEA to help the city’s non-profit organizations lower their energy-related overhead and contribute to the success of the Green Cincinnati Action Plan.

“This award supports GCEA’s ability to provide energy-saving education, project management, and innovative financing solutions to area non-profits, a sector that has been traditionally hard to reach,” said Andy Holzhauser, executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance. “Local non-profits should be able to use their scarce funding to support their mission, and every dollar we can help them save on their energy bills is another dollar that goes into their programs.”

The Green Cincinnati Action Plan aims to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions 8% by 2012, or 2% annually. It provides the additional benefits of creating jobs, conserving scarce natural resources, saving money, enhancing the local economy, and improving air quality and public health.

“This funding will provide a tremendous boost to fulfilling the vision and programs in the Green Cincinnati Action Plan” – Larry Falkin, director of the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environmental Quality

Being named a Climate Showcase Community cements Cincinnati’s status as a national leader on sustainability and climate protection. Only 20 communities received the grant out of a pool of 450 applicants. The Green Cincinnati Action Plan will be used by EPA as an example of municipal “best practices” in promoting sustainability.